Self-heating flat-iron.



No. 635,632. Patented Oct. 24, I899.

J. ABRAHAMSON.

SELF HEAT|NG FLAT IRON.

(Application filed Feb. 20, 1899.)

I ""010",""Inna,"

In: Nonms wzrzns cow. vum'oumon WASHINGTON, u. c.

" i'iE Sians JACOB ABRAHAMSON, OF WEST BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

SELF-HEATING FLAT =-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,632, dated October24, 1899.

Application filed February 20, 1899. $eria1 No. 706,200. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern.-

Beit known that I, JACOB ABRAHAMSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-HeatingFlatlrons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fiat-irons, and pertains more particularly toself-heating fiatirons using hydrocarbons, such as kerosene or gasolene,for fuel.

The improvements consist in certain arrangements and combinations of theparts of the gas-generating device, which will be fully set forth anddescribed in these specifications.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a selfheatingfiat-iron that will require but little attention or skill to operate;second, to provide means whereby the hydrocarbon fuel will be thoroughlyvaporized before it enters the tube leading to the atomizing-valve andduring its passage through the reheating-chambers communicating with theabove-mentioned tube this vapor will be reheated and freed from solidparticles, gum, the. and, third, to provide an auxiliary heater by whichthe process of vaporization may be started.

In connection with this specification reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings, throughout the several views of which similarfigures of reference are used to designate similar parts and devices.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a fiatiron, showing myimprovements attached thereto. Fig. 2'is a view-of the interior of theiron as it would appear if seen from above. Fig. 3 is a perspectivedetail of the vaporizing and reheating tubes. Fig. at is a transversesection of the iron, taken on the line 3 'y of Fig. 1 and viewed fromthe back end of the iron.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the device consists of a flat-ironshell 1 of any usual or suitable shape and having a removable cover 2and handle 2, by which the iron is moved. A tank 3 for the gasolene orother hydrocarbon fuel is carried by the flat-iron and has a mainsupply-tube 4 and an auxiliary supply-tube 5 with shut-off valves 4: and5 communicating with the interior of the shell 1.

Located within the shell 1 is a closed tank or receiver 6, adapted toreceive and vaporize the hydrocarbon fuel supplied from the tank 3. Ifind it desirable in practice when using certain grades of commercialgasolene to place a chamber 11, similarly constructed to the chambers11, which will be more fully de scribed hereinafter, between thesupply-pipe 4 and the receiver 6 for the'purpose of depositing a part ofthe solid matter from the liquid gasolene on the surface of the wires inthe cylinder 11 before the liquid enters the receiver 6. A vapor-tube 7communicates with the chamber 6 and extends longitudinally along thefiat-iron to a reheating-chamber 11, into which it discharges. From thereheating-chamber 11 a second section of tube 7 is arranged to carry thevapor to a second reheating-chamber 11, similar to the first. Theinterior of the second chamber 11 is preferably in direct communicationwith the interior of the receiver 8, which discharges the heated vaporthrough theatomizing-valve 9.

As above described, one or more reheatingchambers are inserted atintervals along the tube 7. These heaters consist of hollow cylinders11, communicating with the tube 7 and placed sufficiently near theburner-tube 10 to be heated by the flame therefrom. Within the cylinders11 copper or other suitable wires 116 are laid loosely, as is shown inFig. 3. These reheaters form an important feature of my invention, andtheir operation will be further described hereinafter.

As is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the front end of the burner-tube10 extends'under the bottom of the tank 6, which is raised in the middleto receive the tube.

An auxiliary burner consisting of a hollow cup 12, having perforations12 in its upper surface, is located under the end of tube 10 andcommunicates with the auxiliary supplypipe 5.

The operation of the heater is as follows: A small quantity of gasolenefrom tank 3 is admitted through the valve 5* and the tube 5 to theauxiliary burner 12 and is ignited by inserting a match through openingsin the side of the shell 1. These openings are omitted from the drawingsfor the sake of clearness. The heat from the auxiliary burner raises thetemperature of the receiver 6 above the point at which gasolene normallyvaporizes. WVhen the receiver 6 is sufficiently hot, the valve 5 may beclosed and the valve i gradually opened,th us allowing the gasolene toflow into the receiver 6 from the tank 3. Gasolene descends by gravitythrough the pipe 4 and the cylinder 11 and drops into the receiver 6,where it is immediately vaporized. The vapor thus formed passes outthrough the tube 7 and the reheaters 11 into the receiver 8 and isthence ejected through the atomizing-valve 9 by the pressure of thevapor in the receiver 6 as it expands under the action of the heat fromthe burner-tube 10. The jet of vapor from the atomizing-valve isinjected into the open end of the burner-tube l0, entraining with it aportion of air from the open space 9 between the valve-opening and theend of the burner 10. The mixture of vapor and air passes out throughthe perforations 10, arranged along the pipe 10, and burns in proximityto the bottom of the flat-iron.

The forward end of the burner-tube,which extends under the raised bottomof the receiver 6,has perforations in its upper surface, as shown inFig. 1, adapted to heat the receiver 6 after the flame of the auxiliaryburner 12 has been extinguished.

In practice I prefer to bend the tube 7 around the burner-tube 10, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, for the twofold purpose of bringing itnearer the flame of the burners and for supporting the reheaters 11 inproper relation to the burner-tube.

I have found in actual use that a flat-iron of the kind described, inwhich the reheatingcyliuders 11 are not used, will in a short timebecome obstructed in the tube and atomizingvalve by the gum and heaviermatter contained in commercial gasolene unless heavy pressure ismaintained in the tank 3 by compressed air or equivalent means.

To produce an iron that will feed by gravity and at the same time beentirely free from danger of becoming obstructed, I have introduced thereheaters 11 before described. The gum and heavier matter in thegasolene collects upon the surface of the loose copper wire with whichthe cylinders are filled, due to the reduced velocity of the vaporizedgas passing through them, while the high conductingpower of the copperand its relatively great heating-surface serves both to effectivelysuperheat the gas and to vaporize a large part of the heavier matterthat accumulates on the wires.

I prefer to arrange the reheaters as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, usingone on each side of the burner-tube 10; but if a single one or more thantwo were used the spirit of my invention would still be preserved.

By raising the bottom of the receiver 6 in the middle, as shown in Figs.1 and 4:, I not only provide a simple means for heating it from theburner-tube 10, but two lower side portions or drip-chambers 6 are thusformed, into which the unvaporized gasolene may fall, thus preventingthe liquid from entering the tube 7. A further means for preventing theentrance of the heavier matter into the flatiron is to extend the tubes4 and 5 into the body of the tank 3 and above the level of the heavieroil, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a self-heating flat-iron the combination with the supply-tank, thesupply-pipe, the atomizing-valve, and the burner-tube having series ofperforations; of a vaporizingchamber in proximity to the perforations ofthe burner-tube; an auxiliary burner below the vaporizing-chamber andarranged to project flame against said chamber; of a pipe connectingsaid auxiliary burner with the supply-tank; a tube for conducting vaporfrom the vaporizing chamber to the atomizingvalve; a reheating-chamberextending in proximity to the perforations of the burnertube, andcontaining pieces of heat-conducting metal, said chamber beinginterposed in the length of said vapor-tube and forming therewith acontinuous vapor-passage, substantially as described.

2. In a self-heating flat-iron having a supply-tank, supply-pipe,atomizing-valve and burn er-tube having series of perforations, thecombination of a vaporizing-chamber located within the body of thefiat-iron; of reheatingchambers containing loose pieces ofheat-conducting material, said chambers being interposed between thevaporizing-chamber and the atomizing-valve; of-a vapor-conducting tubeconnecting in series the vaporizingchamber, reheating-chambers and thereceiving-chamber of the atomizing-valve; of an auxiliary burner locatedbelow the vaporizing-chamber and having perforations in proximity tosaid chamber; and a tube connecting the auxiliary burner with thesupply-tank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB ABRAHAMSON.

IVitnesses: I

GEO. B. WILLooX, O'rro R. GARBER.

